Metal structural unit



July 26, 1932., P. F. M COOL METAL STRUCTURAL UNIT Filed June 28.. 1929 R Wm w am m A Z Patented July 26, 1932 PATENT OFFICE PETER F. MCCOOL, OF HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY METAL STRUCTURAL UNIT Application filed June 28, 1929. Serial No. 374,438.

My invention in its broadest aspect relates to units for use in metal structures of various kinds, for example building and car body frames, bridges v etc. For purposes of illustration and not as a limitation I have shown are ' herein as an embodiment of the invention a truck bolster for railway cars. Such members are required to carry exceedingly heavy loads since one-half of the entire weight of the car rests upon each bolster and must be continuously borne thereby, and in addition when the caryis' travelling at a high rate of speed there is a certain hammering action, of the car, due to irregularities in the track, upon the center and side bearings of the bolster.

Bolsters have heretofore been made of steel plates riveted together to form a box girder. Such bolsters are inherently weak by reason of the removal of metal to form the rivet holes. To reduce cost of construction it is customary to cold punch such holes which tends to crystallize and tear the metal surrounding the hole thereby weakening it to a greater extent than would be caused by the mere removal of the metal. In practice it is found that bolsters of this type frequently give way along the rivet holes and must be discarded.

The main object of my invention is the production of a structural unit, for example a bolster, preferably of box girder type, in which the number of rivets is greatly reduced or entirely eliminated, and a unit of ample strength and long life built up from a minimum number of parts of simple form whereby the cost of production is greatly reduced.

The invention also includes various details of construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Reference is, hereby made to the accompanying drawing of which Figure 1 is an exploded view of a bolster constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of one end of the bolster of Figure'l.

Fig. 3 is a section on line '3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of'a modification.

v welded thereto.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. i, and Flg. 6 1s a transverse vertical section of a second modification.

The bolster shown in Figures lto 3 is a box girder comprising a pair of parallel I beams 1, 1, of ordinary rolled metal construction, whose outwardly projecting flanges =2 are received in longitudinal grooves or recesses of the lower and upper retaining members 3 and 4C, respectively, preferably formed of steel in any desired manner as by pressing, bending or casting. V

The lower member 3 is provided along each of its lateral edges with integral flanges 5 extending upwardly and inwardly and forming the recesses or grooves 6 which receive the I beam flanges2.

The ends of said grooves are closed by walls 7 which may be cast integral with the flanges 5 or bent up from the base of the member 3 and united to said flanges by welding. The

distance between the interior surfaces of the end walls is just sufficient to permit the insertion of the I-beam flanges within the recesses 6, and said beams are thereby held against longitudinal movement.

The upper retaining member or top plate 4 in ageneral way resembles the lower memher 3 and is provided with marginal flanges 8, 8 extending downwardly and inwardly from the body of the plate, and forming longitudinal grooves 9-, 9 to receive the upper flanges 2 of the I beams. Both of the members 3 and 4: are preferably provided with integral column guides 10, and the member 4 with integral center and side bearings 11 and 12 respectively.

In order to secure the I beams 1 against inward lateral movement end braces or spacers 13 are provided. These members may be pressed or cast from steel. They are preferably of cup-like shape and of such size as to make a driving fit between the webs of the I beams. flush with the ends of said webs as shown in Fig. 2' and are preferably welded thereto.

Each of the braces 13 is provided with a vertical flange 14 which abuts against one end of the retaining member 4 and is preferably It secures said member The side edges of the braces 13 are against longitudinal movement with respect to the I beams 1.

The same result can be obtained by riveting the side walls of the braces to the webs of the I beams 1, in which case the welding operation may be dispensed with.

The modified structure of Figs. 4: and 5 differs from that above described in the substitution of the usual rolled channels 15 in place of the I beams, and a cup shaped brace 13 in place of 13. The lower retaining member 3 is similar to the member 3 except that it has no end walls and the brace 13 has two flanges 14c and ll for respectively securing the upper and lower retaining members 1 and 3 against longitudinal movement with respect to the channels 15. This brace is preferably secured in position by welding to the ends of the members 3, l, and webs of channels 15.

In the bolsters shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the top member l may be readily removed when worn or damaged, and replaced by anew one.

In the structure of Fig. 6 there are only two longitudinal members 16 and 17. The member 16 is formed as an inverted trough having marginal outwardly extending flanges 18. The retaining member 17 is the same as the member 3, and the brace 19 is the same as the brace 13 of Figs. 4 and 5. The brace 19 is welded to theends of the members 16 and 17.

In all cases where welding is mentioned, it is to be understood that either continuous or spot-welding may be employed.

In the claims the term web member is in tended to cover web members either with or without flanges, for example flat plates.

I claim:

1. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel flanged beams each having a pair of marginal flanges extending outwardly, spreaders between sa d members and retaining members having recesses within which said flanges are received for preventing spreading movement of said beams away from each other.

2. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel flanged beams each having a pair of marginal flanges extendingoutwarc ly, spreaders bet-ween the beams, retaining members having recesses within which said flanges are received for preventing spreading movement of said beams away frbm each other, and means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said beams and said retaining members.

3. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel. web members and a pair of elongated parallel retaining members, of substantially the length of the web members, said web and retaining members being interlocked along their length to form a box structure in .which the web members are held by the retalnmg members against spreading, and

spreaders between the ends of said web members to force them into seated relation to the retaining members.

1. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members, said web and retaining members being interlocked along the length of both to form abox structure in which the web members are held by the retaining members against spreading, spreaders between said web members, and means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said web members and said retaining members.

5. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members, said web and retaining members being interlocked along their len th to form a box structure in which the web members are held by the retaining members against spreading, and unitary means for preventing movement of said web members toward each other and longitudinal movement thereof with, respect to said retaining members.

6. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members, said web and retaining members being interlocked along the length of both to form a box structure in whichthe web members are held by the retaining members against spreading, and the retaining members are held by the web members against spreading, and spreaders between said web members to seat them with respect to the retaining members.

7. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members, said Web and retaining members being interlocked along the length of both to form a box structure in which the web members are held by the retaining members against spreading, and the retaining members are held by the web members against spreading, and spreaders tending to spread the web members apart.

8. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members, said web and retaining members being interlocked along the length of both to form a box structure in which one pair of parallel members is held by the other pair against movement either toward oraway from each other, and the pair so held holds the other pair against movement in one direction, and means for holding said last named pair against movement in the opposite direction.

A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members, said web and retaining members being interlocked along the length of both to form a box structure in which one pair of parallel members is held by the other pair against movement either toward or away from each other, and the pair so held holds the other pair against movement in one direction, means for holding said last named pairagainst movement in the opposite direction and means for preventing longitudinal movement of any of said interlocked members with respect to another.

10. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members, said web and retaining members being interlocked along their length to form a box structure in which one pair of parallel members is held by the other pair against movement either toward or away from each other, and the pair so held holds the other pair against movement in one direction, and unitary means for holding said last named pair against movement in the opposite direction and for preventing longitudinal movement of any of said interlocked members with respect to another.

11. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members interlocked therewith along the length of both to form a box structure and to hold said web- :members against movement in one direction, said retaining members being thereby held against movement both toward and away from each other, and means for holding the web members against movement in the opposite direction. 7

12. A metal structural unit comprising a pair of parallel web members and a pair of parallel retaining members interlocked there with along the length of both to form a box structure and to hold said web members against spreading, said retaining members being thereby held against movement both toward and away from each other, and means for holding the web members against movement toward each other.

13. A bolster comprising a pair of web members having outwardly projecting upper and lower lateral flanges, upper and lower retaining members having longitudinal grooves with which said flanges engage, means for preventing longitudinal shifting of any of said members and means for preventing movement of said web members toward each other.

14. A bolster comprising a pair of web members having outwardly projecting upper and lower lateral flanges, upper and lower retaining members having longitudinal grooves with which said flanges engage, and unitary means for preventing longitudinal shifting of any of said members and for preventing movement of said web members toward each other.

15. A bolster comprising a pair of parallel I beams, top and bottom plates having interior marginal recesses engaging the outwardly extending flanges of said beams, and

meansfor preventing movement of said web members toward each other.

16. A bolster comprising a pair of webs having outwardly extending flanges, a plate having interior marginal recesses engaging said flanges, and a brace secured interiorly to adjacent ends of said webs and tending to spread the webs into seated relation in said recesses.

17. A bolster comprising a pair ofmembers hasing outwardly extending upper and lower flanges, and top and bottom retaining members engaging sa1d flanges, sa1d reta1nmg members having integral column gu des.

18. A bolster comprising a pair of members having outwardly extending upper and lower flanges, and top and bottom retaining members engaging said flanges, sa1d top retaining member having integral center and side bearings, and spreaders to keep the flanges in engagement with the retaining members.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name hereto.

PETER F. MCCOOL. 

